Urban Land Use Concepts

Unit 6: Cities and Urban Land Use

This unit explores various concepts, theories, models, and practices concerning urban areas, their development, infrastructure, and socio-economic dynamics.

1. Affordability

• Definition: The capacity of individuals and households to purchase or rent housing and services within an urban area. It is impacted by income levels, housing prices, and living costs.

• Example: Cities with high housing costs such as San Francisco may have lower affordability, pushing residents to suburbs or other states.

2. African City Model

• Description: A model characterizing the structure of cities in Africa, which differs significantly from Western urban models.
    - Key Features:
      - Traditional urban residential areas and markets
      - European colonial influence evident in architecture and urban design
      - Peripheral planning issues faced by urban areas
      - Informal settlements are prevalent, often lacking basic services and infrastructure.

3. Air quality

• Definition: A measure of the pollutants in the air, which can affect health and the environment.

• Impacts: Poor air quality can lead to health problems, loss of biodiversity, and increased climate change effects.

• Measuring: Air quality indices that track levels of pollutants like PM2.5, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxide.

4. Bid-rent theory

• Concept: An economic theory that explains how land prices vary with distance from the central business district (CBD).
    - Key Premise: Land is more expensive closer to the center because of increased accessibility.
    - Implication: Businesses and residences will compete for the best locations, pushing prices higher as one moves closer to the CBD.

5. Blockbusting

• Definition: A practice where real estate agents convince homeowners to sell their properties at lower prices by suggesting that the racial composition of the neighborhood is changing.
    - Impacts: This leads to segregation and destabilization of communities, often exploiting racial tensions for profit.

6. Boomburbs

• Definition: Suburban areas that have rapidly grown and developed, usually with populations over 100,000.

• Characteristics:
    - High population growth due to an influx of residents from urban areas.
    - Often feature single-family homes and shopping centers, with an infrastructure that is not always equipped to handle the growth.

7. Brownfields

• Definition: Abandoned or under-utilized industrial and commercial facilities where redevelopment is complicated by environmental contamination.

• Implications: Strategies for redevelopment can help revitalize communities while addressing contamination issues.

8. Burgess Concentric Zone Model

• Definition: A model proposed by sociologist Ernest Burgess that depicts urban social structures in concentric zones.
    - Zones:
      - Zone I: Central Business District
      - Zone II: Zone of transition (poor housing and factories)
      - Zone III: Zone of working-class homes
      - Zone IV: Zone of middle-class residences
      - Zone V: Commuter zone (suburbs).

9. Census

• Definition: An official count or survey of a population, typically conducted every 10 years in the U.S.

• Importance: Provides critical data for government policy making, urban planning, and allocation of funding.

10. Christaller's Central Place Theory

• Definition: A spatial theory in urban geography that explains the size, number, and location of human settlements.

• Key Ideas:
    - Central places provide services to surrounding areas, the size of which depends on the number of customers and types of goods offered.
    - Hierarchy of places: Larger central places serve more functions and attract more consumers.

11. City government

• Role: Responsible for local governance and providing services such as police, fire, education, and sanitation.

• Structure: Typically includes elected officials (such as mayors) and various departments handling different regulatory and service areas.

12. City infrastructure

• Definition: The foundational services and facilities necessary for the functioning of a city.
    - Components: Transportation systems, communication networks, water supply, waste management, and public buildings.

• Importance: Essential for daily operations and long-term urban growth and development.

13. Climate change

• Impact on Cities: Urban areas are significant contributors to climate change through greenhouse gas emissions.
    - Urban heat islands exacerbate warming effects.

• Mitigation Strategies: Increase green spaces, improve public transportation, and enhance building energy efficiency.

14. County government

• Function: Acts as a subdivision of state government, focusing on local issues such as land use planning, law enforcement, and public health.

15. De facto segregation

• Definition: Racial segregation that occurs in practice but not necessarily by law.

• Examples: Communities where residents may segregate based on socioeconomic factors or peer preferences rather than explicit policies.

16. Decentralization

• Definition: The process of distributing functions, powers, people, or decision-making away from a central location or authority.

• Impact on Urban Areas: Can lead to increased local governance, diversity in urban planning, but also to challenges such as fragmentation of services.

17. Disamenity zones

• Definition: Areas in a city characterized by low-quality living conditions, often associated with poverty, crime, and lack of services.

• Examples: Slums or informal settlements within urban spaces.

18. Ecological footprint

• Definition: A measure of human demand on the Earth's ecosystem, representing the amount of natural capital used.

• Importance for Cities: Urban planning must consider ecological footprints to promote sustainability and resource conservation.

19. Edge cities

• Definition: Suburban areas that have developed into significant commercial centers, featuring shopping, office spaces, and residential areas.

• Characteristics: Often located near major highways and are typically formed as a response to suburbanization.

20. Energy use

• Implications: Cities account for a large percentage of the world's energy consumption, with significant impacts on sustainability efforts and climate change.

21. Exurbs

• Definition: Areas beyond the suburbs where people live and commute to urban centers, characterized by lower population density and often more green space.

22. Farmland protection policies

• Definition: Regulations designed to prevent the loss of agricultural land to urban development.

• Importance: Essential for food security, ecological balance, and preserving rural communities.

23. Field studies

• Definition: Research conducted in a real-world setting to collect data and observe phenomena in their natural environment.

• Applications: Useful in urban studies for understanding social behaviors and environmental interactions.

24. Functional fragmentation of government

• Definition: The division of governmental responsibilities among various entities, which can lead to inefficiencies and challenges in service delivery.

25. Galactic City Model

• Definition: A model representing the urban development pattern of a city that is dominated by a central city and several satellite cities, often connected through transportation networks.

26. Gentrification

• Definition: The process of urban renewal that results in wealthier individuals moving into an area, often displacing lower-income residents.

• Implications: Can lead to increased property values and improved services but also to cultural loss and community displacement.

27. Geographic fragmentation of government

• Definition: The division of governmental authority based on geographic lines, leading to multiple local jurisdictions managing urban issues.

• Consequences: Can complicate policy-making and implementation of cohesive urban planning.

28. Gravity Model

• Definition: A model that predicts the interaction between two cities based on their sizes and the distance between them.

• Formula: The model can be expressed as: $I_{12} = k \frac{P_1 P_2}{D^2}$
    - Where:
      - $I_{12}$ = interaction between city 1 and city 2
      - $P_1$ and $P_2$ = populations of the respective cities
      - $D$ = distance between the cities
      - $k$ = constant of proportionality.

29. Greenbelts

• Definition: Areas of open land around a city designed to limit urban sprawl and preserve the natural environment.

• Purpose: Protect wildlife habitats, maintain agriculture, and provide recreational spaces.

30. Harris Ullman Multiple Nuclei Model

• Definition: A model that suggests cities develop with multiple centers of activity (nuclei) rather than a single CBD.

• Characteristics: Different areas of a city may attract specific functions, such as residential, commercial, or industrial activities.

31. Housing density

• Definition: The number of housing units per area within a city, which can influence urban design, neighborhood dynamics, and service accessibility.

32. Hoyt Sector Model

• Definition: A model of urban land use developed by Homer Hoyt that proposes cities develop in sectors radiating out from the CBD.

• Key Sectors: each sector represents different types of land use, such as residential, industrial, and commercial based on transportation routes.

33. Infilling

• Definition: The process of developing vacant or underutilized parcels of land within existing urban areas.

• Benefits: Helps to reduce urban sprawl and utilizes existing infrastructure more efficiently.

34. Latin American City Model

• Definition: A model that describes the pattern of urban development in Latin American cities, typically characterized by a peripheral squatter settlements and a wealthy elite living in the center.

• Key features: Dual economy with a mix of high-end and low-income areas, reflecting social inequality and access to resources.

35. Megacities

• Definition: Very large cities, typically with populations exceeding ten million.

• Challenges: Often face issues such as overcrowding, pollution, and inadequate infrastructure and services.

36. Metacities

• Definition: Urban areas that go beyond megacities, with populations significantly larger (over 20 million).

• Characteristics: Exhibiting global influence, complex governance issues, and increased challenges in sustainability.

37. Mixed land use

• Definition: Development that blends residential, commercial, cultural, and institutional uses within one area.

• Characteristics: Aiming to reduce dependency on cars, promote walkability, and enhance community interactions.

38. Narratives

• Importance in Urban Studies: Stories and experiences that shape the understanding of urban life, local identity, and community dynamics.

• Application: Used in urban planning to grasp community needs and perspectives.

39. Neighborhood government

• Definition: Local governing bodies that enable community-level decision-making and representation in urban settings.

• Role: Shapes local policies affecting zoning, community services, and development.

40. New Urbanism

• Principles: A movement aimed at creating walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods to reduce car dependency and enhance community interaction.

• Focus Areas: Urban design, sustainability, and environmental stewardship, emphasizing the integration of nature with urban living.

41. Periphery

• Definition: Areas on the outskirts of urban centers often characterized by lower economic activity, fewer resources, and less development than the core city area.

42. Primate city

• Definition: A city that is significantly larger than any other city in the country, often serving as the political, economic, and cultural hub.

43. Qualitative data

• Definition: Non-numerical information that captures the richness of human experience, often utilized in surveys and interviews.

44. Quantitative data

• Definition: Numerical information that is collected and analyzed statistically to identify patterns and trends.

45. Rank-size rule

• Definition: A principle stating that in a country or region, the size of a city is inversely proportional to its rank in the urban hierarchy.

• Expression: If the largest city's population is $P$, the second largest will have approximately $\frac{P}{2}$, the third largest $\frac{P}{3}$, and so on.

46. Redlining

• Definition: A discriminatory practice where services (like mortgage lending) are withheld from residents of certain areas based on race or ethnicity.

• Consequences: Upholds racial segregation and denies access to wealth-building opportunities.

47. Sanitation

• Definition: The provision of clean water and proper waste disposal to protect public health.

• Impacts: Essential for preventing disease and maintaining urban living standards.

48. Semi-periphery

• Definition: Countries or areas that are not fully developed but have some industrialization and development, often in transition between core and peripheral status.

49. Site

• Definition: The physical characteristics of a specific location, such as soil, water, and physical geography.

50. Situation

• Definition: The location of a place relative to its surroundings and other places, considered in terms of access to resources and connectivity.

51. Slow-growth cities

• Definition: Urban areas that experience minimal population growth or even decline, often leading to economic challenges and maintaining infrastructure.

52. Smart-growth policies

• Definition: Approaches aimed at promoting sustainable urban development through efficient land use, protecting the environment, and enhancing community quality of life.

53. Southeast Asian City Model

• Definition: A model describing urban patterns in Southeast Asia, characterized by a rapidly growing city core with informal trading zones and poor living conditions surrounding it.

54. Sprawl

• Definition: The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into surrounding countryside, often leading to environmental degradation and loss of agricultural land.

55. Squatter settlements

• Definition: Informal housing areas that develop rapidly in urban settings without legal rights to the land, often lacking basic services and infrastructure.

56. State government

• Function: Governs at a level above local municipalities but below federal governance; manages broader regional issues, laws, and funding.

57. Suburban sprawl

• Definition: The spread of suburban development outward from the city, often consuming farmland and natural areas while leading to traffic congestion and loss of community cohesion.

58. Suburbanization

• Definition: The process where people move from urban centers to suburbs, often driven by the desire for more space, affordability, and lifestyle choices.

59. Survey data

• Definition: Data collected through questionnaires or interviews, providing both quantitative and qualitative insights into urban issues.

60. Sustainable design initiatives

• Definition: Projects aimed at creating environmentally friendly and resource-efficient buildings and spaces.

• Goals: Minimize environmental impact and promote sustainable practices within urban settings.

61. Transportation-oriented development

• Definition: Urban planning approach that focuses on creating walkable communities centered around high-quality public transport systems.

62. Urban growth boundaries

• Definition: Lines established by governments that limit urban expansion into surrounding rural land, promoting higher density and mixed-use development within those boundaries.

63. Urban hierarchy

• Definition: A ranking of cities based on their size, influence, and the services they offer.

• Levels: Small towns at the bottom, with large cities and capitals at the top, which provide more services and serve a wider geographic area.

64. Urban renewal

• Definition: The process of revitalizing urban areas, often including renovation and regeneration of buildings and infrastructure to improve quality of life.

65. Urban sustainability

• Definition: The capability of cities to provide a high quality of life for residents while maintaining environmental health and viability for future generations.

66. Urbanization

• Definition: The increasing population of urban areas, often leading to the development of more infrastructure and changes in land use patterns.

67. Walkability

• Definition: The measure of how friendly an area is to walking, based on factors such as pedestrian pathways, safety, and access to amenities.

68. Water quality

• Definition: A measure of the condition of water, influenced by factors such as pollution, which can affect public health and the ecosystem.

69. World cities

• Definition: Major global cities that serve as key economic, political, and cultural centers with a significant influence on global affairs.

• Examples: London, New York City, Tokyo.

70. Zones of abandonment

• Definition: Areas within a city that have been vacated by inhabitants due to economic or social decline, often leading to urban decay.

71. Zoning practices

• Definition: Regulations that dictate how land in certain areas may be used, impacting urban development, property regulations, and community development strategies.